She Liked my NECKLACE and started relaxin’, that’s what the fuck I call a…

KING OF MEMPHIS

an this chain here, a nigga named Freeze out of
Miami did it. I was at the Birdman and Lil Wayne
video shoot for “Stuntin’ Like My Daddy” and the
jeweler was on the set because he had done some
shit for Baby and them before.

I wanted a piece that would represent my city, so I told him to do the University of Memphis [Tigers] logo, or the [Memphis] Grizzlies logo, and he said
he had a template for both of ‘em. So I decided to go with the University of
Memphis.
It’s got white, yellow, and black diamonds. I don’t know the net weight of
it, but it’s heavier than a muthafucka. The piece itself is close to 50 carats. I
gave the nigga like $65,000 for everything. You know what they say: ‘When
the light hits the ice it twinkles and glistens,’ but when you got them white
stones in yo’ shit the light could be off in the club, and you know what’s gon’
happen. The women gon’ lose they minds.

30 // OZONE MAG

I’m the king of Memphis, so it’s only right that I have Memphis on my chest.
It’s more than just a chain to me. I only wear two chains and one of ‘em says
‘Memphis,’ and the other says ‘Yo Gotti,’ so if you approach me you gon’ know
who I am and where I’m from. Everywhere I go people are like, ‘Gottdamn,
you play for the team?’ People who aren’t into Hip Hop, like old white ladies
on elevators at the Ritz Carlton, see this chain and start talking about the
team, like, ‘They’re doing good this year,’ thinking that I play for the team.
People always ask me if I play for the team, and I say, ‘Naw, I just represent
for the city.’

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“

M

YO GOTTI
I seen the boy John Calipari — the coach of the [University of Memphis
basketball] team — at the casino, and he looked at chain and was like, ‘Damn,
you a big fan, huh?’ And I said, ‘Naw, I fuck with y’all, but I’m a big fan of the
city.’ I wouldn’t be doing all this for the basketball team. This chain is about
my city. //
As told to Eric Perrin // Photo by Julia Beverly